Notes from the Desk

Author: Emily Thompson

While sitting in my Aesthetics class the other day, I found myself staring at brightly colored ribbons. These were not awards won by past students for their academic achievements or even horseback riding. No, these exquisitely tied ribbons hung from the ponytails of fellow Middlebury women. Pink ribbons with white polka dots mocked me in my Aesthetics class of all places. After overanalyzing their existence, I found absolutely no use for them. Each girl had a ponytail-holder underneath. Neither was dressed like an eight year old nor as Alice in Wonderland.

As the girls' heads bobbed while they scribbled down thoughts of Nietzsche and Kant, I pondered the irony of the situation - the irony that maybe only my cynical mind can see. Both philosophers would point out the beauty of their flaxen blond hair in contrast with the cheap bit of cloth. Why would women want to detract from beauty with such garish objects?

I say women with some reluctance. Ribbons recall images of elementary school, when I tried to decide between a ribbon and a tie-dye scrunchie. Tying a ribbon around a ponytail seems like a complete and utter regression into girlhood. Women do not tie ribbons around their hair, mommies tie ribbons before school starts.

After Aesthetics, in the mob scene that is Atwater dining hall, I spotted the same girl with the same pink ribbon. As she walked by, a boy exclaimed, "I like how that girl wears that pink ribbon in her hair." At that point, I gave up. Boys like girls, not women. As long as there exists ribbon-adoring boys, there will be ribbon-wearing girls deciding between green and pink.

Of course, I may be reading into the whole ribbon thing far too much. There is no color scheme for ribbons, pink meaning "I am flirty" or white meaning "I am from Connecticut," or at least I hope not. What I really hope is that girls do not wear them to be girls. If they are simply a fashion trend that I never found out about, then I retract my previous statements. However, if they are a ploy to be flirtatious and attract boys, then maybe I should just buy some for myself.